Knitting machine of the links and links type



v Jan. 2, 1945. H. H. HOLMES El AL 2,356,405

KNITTING momma OF THE LINKS AND muxs TYPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May '7, 1943 Jan. 2, 1945. H. H. HOLMES ETAL KNITTING MACHINE OF THE LINKS AND LINKS TYPE Filed May '7, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T W2, Au

v orney,

Pnemea Jlii- 2,1945

'umrao I sures PATENT oFF1ca- 22,30,405 gamma mm or m LINKS aim was rm 1...... Harold llolmea and. John on Herbert Hard, Leicester. England. assignors to Wildt and Company ted. Leicester, England, a

company of Great Britain Application May I, 1943, Serial No. 488.052 In Great Britain may 8, 1942 14 Claims.

. This invention appertains to knitting machines of the links and links type which, as is now well known, include two opposed needle beds, doubleended needles and associated sliders whereby the needles are operated for knitting and can be transferred from oneneedle bed to the other so to flat links and links machines.

The invention, moreover, is applicable to machines of the type concerned employing bearded needles as well as to machines equipped with latch needles and, in either event, concerns the operation of the sliders with respect to division of sliders and needles in either of the needle beds after engagement of the divided needles with the complementary sliders in the opposed needle bed during transfer actions.

Now in the case of circular knitting machines, the leading ends of sliders advanced under the action of transfer cams customarily engage dividing cams adapted to effect outward deflection of the sliders in relation to the needle cylinders in order to free the hooks of the needles from the sliders in the cylinder from which the needles are I being transferred, after the complementary sliders in the opposite cylinder have received the said needles. In practice, such dividing cams besides requiring adjustment to a nicety tend to be troublesome for the reasons that they are liable to breakage and, on occasions, to displacement with the result that they fail to effect proper deflection of the sliders, and faulty knitted fabric is produced.

In the case of flat knitting machines, on the other hand, during transfer actions the sliders to be disengaged from associated needles are usually deflected outwards in consequence of relative endwise movement of the needles and the sliders while the latter are located beneath recesses in the bridges which normally hold the sliders in operative engagement with the, needles, the clutches of the sliders which engage the hooks of the needles being appropriately formed so as to enable the hooks to effect the deflection.

The object of the present invention is to provide, in a links and links knitting machine, im-

proved means for effecting the requisite outward deflection of appropriate sliders during transfer actions.

' Broadly considered, the means provided by the invention comprise a series of movable elements which are so arranged with respect tothe needles and sliders and operable during a transfer action as to be adapted to act upon appropriate sliders suchwise as to effect deflection of the latter outwards from their bed sufliciently for the purpose in view.

The deflector elements may be of any convenient form and adapted. to be actuated by means of any suitable character.

The said elements may, for example, take the 5 form of blade-like or equivalent instruments specially provided for the intended purpose.

It is, however, preferred wherever possible to utilise elements with which the machine is already equipped. In this respect 'any suitable looping elements may be employed. By the expression looping elements is meant any instruments such as sinkers, web holders, transfer points or jacks, lap or wrap thread guides, plating instruments and the like, which are in contact with loops during knitting and auxiliary operations.

In cases where the deflector elements are formed with offset formations or lateral projections as aforesaid, these formations or projections may, in independent latch needle machines,

also be formed to present or oppose latch opening edges to needles in both needle beds, in the path of the needle latches at the or each location where closed or partly closed latches are to be opened when needles are advanced, so that by reason of such advance appropriate latches are brought into engagement with the opposing edges and consequently opened. For example, the offset formations or projections may have chamfered or bevelled opposite edges for the plain needles and the rib needles respectively. De-

flector elements designed to perform this addl tional function may be acted upon by cam means adapted to cause the elements to assume such a position at the or each latch opening location that their latch opening portions will be in appropriate relation with respect to the hooks of the needles.

According to a further feature of the invention, moreover, each of the deflector elements when designed to perform the additional function specified in the last preceding paragraph, may be adapted to yield in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter to-be described.

A speclflc example of the invention applied to.-

a circular links and links knitting machine of the superimposed rotary needle cylinder type will now be described with reference to the accentpanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much from the top cylinder to the bottom cylinder of the machin Figure 3 is a general perspective view showing more clearly the manner in which a slider is acted upon and deflected outwards by an inside holding down sinker,

Figure 4 is a developed view of a portion of the cam system of the machine as seen from the inside of the cam boxes, and includes a layout of the sinker cam system,

Figure 5 is a further vertical sectional view taken atthe line V-V in Figure 4, depicting a yieldable sinker cam part hereinafter to be described. a

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of portions of a needle and an associated inside sinker, showing the manner in which a deflector 1118 on said sinker functions to open the needle latch, and

Figures 7 and 8 are detail sectional views depicting successive stages in the opening of a needle latch.

like parts are designated'b similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the bottom (plain) cylinder of the machine'is indicated at I, and the superimposed top (rib) cylinder at 2; the reference numeral I indicates one of the doubleended latch needles, while the associated bottom and top sliders whereby the said needle is operated for knitting and can be transferred from one cylinder to the other according to require ments are desisnated by the numerals 4 and 5 respectively.

In accordance with the invention, each of the customarily curved or arcuate inside holding.

down sinkers (or web holders) 8 is provided with a lateral projection in the form of 0. lug I on one side of its hook-like operative endbeneath the nib or nose to thereof. This lug, in a full complement of assembled sinkers 8, extends almost up to the next adjacent sinker in front of the intervening double-ended needle v3, as shown in Figure 4. The sinkers 8 operate slidably in tricks la in a bed or carrier], usually referred to as a sinker brass," fitted within the upper end of the bottom cylinder i. In accordance-with customary practice two sinker cam rings I and II are fixed one above the other, with a butt track ll between them in a so-called sinker cup I! fitted on the inside of the sinker brass I. As shown in Figure 4, the track ii is shaped in the usual way at the knitting location KL, or each knitting location if there is more than one, to permit plain needles, i. e. needles in the bottom cylinder, to draw their, loops over the breasts of the sinkers I, and where the needles 8 rise to clear, the sinkers are moved inwards by cam action so that their nibs or noses in engage'the-knitted web and hold it down. Thus, at the knitting-location KL, the customary butts lb on the sinkers t pass through a Portion lid of the track which is so shaped that the 'slnkers are moved seriatim first outwards, at a point Just in advance of the plain stitch cam l3, and then inwards at a point corresponding to the cam portion is by means of I their loops. For the whichthebottomsliderslareactuatedtocause corresponding plain needles to rise after drawing purpose of'the present invention, however, the bottom and top sinker cam rings l and it are 'so shaped respectively with rises la and recesses its as to provide inthe butt track Ii, at each location an upwardly directed wave or undulation so designed that when the butts lb pass through it, the sinkers i are moved seriatim first outwards and then inwards, these movements being, of course, additional to the customary movements aforesaid. This will be clear from a consideration ofFigure 4, wherein it will be seen that at each transfer location TL the transfer cam employed for advancing those slide'rs which are to be deflected outwards to liberate them from the associated needles 8 during a transfer action is located immediately ahead of a corresponding wave or undulation in the sinker butt track ii (in the direction A of rotation of the cylinders i and 2). Thus, for instance, the transfer cam il in the top cam box it is located just ahead of a wave or undulation lib, and the transfer cams i1 and II in the bottom cam box is are similarly located ahead of waves or undulations lie and lid respectively. Another similar wave or undulation would, of course be formed in the track I i in an appropriate position with respect to the further top transfer cam 2|. Consequently, immediately after any slider has been advanced by a transfer cam to propel aneedle I to an exbe received by an empty 40 fiection of said advanced slider. In this manner the slider is liberated from the appropriate hook to ofv the transferred needle whereupon the sinker t is immediatel moved inwards again to permit the now empty slider, as it is retracted, to assume its normal vertical position in its trick or groove. Thus in Figur 1 there is showna bottom slider l which has beenidvanced by the transfer cam ii to propel the corresponding needle 3 to an extent sufilcient for it to be received by the opposed empty slider ii in the top cylinder, '1. 2; as will be seen, the back edge of the advanced slider 4 is in engagement with the lug I on the adjacent sinker 8, and as a consequence of the butt 6b of said sinker passing through the portion lie of the track ii, the slider is deflected outwards .to liberate the bottom hook of the needle. thereby enabling the latter to be retracted into the top cylinder. Similarly, in Figure 2, the top slider 5 has been sufilciently advanced by one of the top transfer cams (say the cam I!) to enable the needle I to be received by the bottom slider 4, the adjacent sinker in this case having just been moved outwards by engagement of its butt lb with the portion lib of the track ii to effect outward deflection. of the top slider.

To facilitate a proper appreciation of Figure 4, it ought to be explained that this figure is a developed view of the'cam systems and the top and bottom sinker cams-of the machine, as viewed in the direction of the arrow B in Figure 1, and with the cylinder i, the sinker brass s and the sinker cup I! removed for the sake of clarity.

The minimum requirements in a machine of the particular type now being described would beatransfercaminthebottomcamboxfor where needles 8 are to be transferred from one cylinder to the other,

' provided in the -nished with a 2 x sliders l, a further similar cam circumferentially spaced from the first mentioned transfer cam and top cam box for action on the the top sliders S, and, in asan upward transfer butts in of sociation with each such transfer cam,

wave or undulation in the sinker butt track II.-

machine illustrated is also fur- 2 transfer cam in the top cam box It and with patterning mechanism of any conventional character for effecting selective transfer of needles from the bottom cylinder I to the top cylinder 2. This will be clearer from a consideration of Figure 4, where the top transfer cam 20 is a so-called 2 x 2 cam adapted to work in conjunction with the bottom transfer cam It for prearransin knitting at the knitting location KL. It is convenient here to explain that the top sliders I are furnished with long and short transfer butts, there being two short butts followed by two long butts alternately around the top cylinder 2; the cam 20 is of the bolt type and is moved inwards from its normal inoperative position to two different extents, i. e. either half. way in for action upon the long transfer butts only, or wholly in for action upon both long and short transfer butts. Accordingly, when it is desired to produce 2 x 2 rib knitting, the bottom transfer cam I8 is moved right in, and the top transfer cam is moved half way in. The result of this is that the cam I8, in acting upon all of the transfer butts 4a, ensures that all of the needles are in the top cylinder 2, whereupon the cam 20 immediately acts upon the long transfer butts aforesaid to effect transference of alternate pairs of the needles back to the bottom cylinder. The bottom transfer cam I! is a fixed one which functions in conjunction with a patterning wheel (not shown) the butts 4a of But the specific selected bottom sliders being acted upon and raised by the cam I'I, while the remaining butts 4a pass idly beneath this cam. Consequently whatever selection may have been effected at the cam I'I, this selection will be automatically neutralised by putting in the cam I8. The top transfer cam I5, when operative, acts upon all the top the needles prior to 2 x 2 rib transfer butts to effect transference of needles from the top cylinder to the bottom cylinder,

prior to re-selection of the needles by the patterning wheel.

The needles 3 are equipped with latches 2 I, and the upper and lower edges 1a and lb of the lug 1 on each sinker 6 are chamfered or bevelled so as to provide thin latch opening edges suitable to be presented between the hooks 3a and latches 2| of needles with closed latches as said needles are advanced, say, for instance, for transference, or for clearing after knitting, or for restoration to a normal position after casting off or for any similar purpose. In Figure 6 a latch opening edge 1b is shown presented between the hook and latch of a plain needle, while successive stages in the opening of a latch of such a needle are depicted in Figures '7 and 8.

Provision is made for pressing the needles 3 and holding them back in their tricks or grooves as they approach the latch openers. For example. each needle or the forward end of each slider, or both, may conveniently be provided with a swell or protuberance whereby, when a needle is engaged with a slider, pressure is exerted on the front of the needle as the result of contact beof the needle and slider of cam box cams or the conventional spring retaining bands which are proswell ii) for co-operation,

vided to hold the slide in their tricks. Thus, in the specific example illustrated, each doubleended needle 2 is formed in the manner just described, with the forward ends ing sliders.

In association with the top sinker cam ring II. at the location P where opening of needle latches 2I for any of the purposes mentionedis to be effected, there is provided a movably mounted cam part 22 which is arranged for action on the sinker butts 6b and yet is capable of yielding to a small extent in an upward direction to permit slight outward movement of any sinker 0 whose latch opening lug I is acted upon by a needle hook in. At a point immediately above the welt cam 22, and the clearing cam portion 2! in the bottom cam box I, the top sinker cam ring II is chamfered or bevelled outwards from its upper edge for a suitable distance circumferentially so as to provide a recess lllb (see Figure 5) having a back Ilc sloping forwardly from the inside of the upper edge of the said edge Ilid (Figures '5 and 1).. The movable cam part 22, which has an inclined front face 22a and a straight lower edge 22b, is fitted slidably in the recess Ilib with the said lower edge projecting downwards from the knife edge Iiid on the top sinker cam ring as shown more clearly in chain line in Figure 4. The extent to which the movable cam part normally projects beneath the knife edge Iiid depends, of course. on the required amount of inward movement to be imparted to the sinkers i. The cam part 22 is also formed with a tenon or key-like portion 22c and the sinker cams 8 and Iii are grooved or key-wayed vertically to receive it. In this way, the cam part 22 is enabled to be moved up and down slightly in the recess I 0b. Projecting from the back of the tenon or the bottom thereof is a horizontally disposed lug 22d which extends through a slot I2a formed in the wall of the sinker cup I2 (see Figure 5). A screw 26 having a compression spring 21 attached to it is screwed into a partially tapped hole I2b formed in the top of the sinker cup I2, this spring extending vertically downwards through the hole and bearing at its lower end upon the lug 22d. Byreason of this construction, the cam part 22 is enabled to yield, and the position normally occupied thereby is adjustable by manipulation of the screw 26 to determine the amount of inward movement to be imparted to the sinkers I for latch opening. The idea is that the appropriate hook 3a of an advanced needle shall be brought into rubbing contact with the mg I on the companion sinker which latter will thereupon yield to permit the hook to pass behind the lug easily without definite obstruction. In this way, the said lug closely follows the contour of the forward curve of the needle hook so as to be in the most favourable position for engagement between the latter and the spoon 2Ia of the associated latch 2I (see Figures 6 and '1). The opening of needle latches can consequently be effected reliably and without damage to or undue wear on either needles or sinkers. But to ensure this desirable result, the sinkers must not, of course.

- exert more than a light pressure upon the hooks.

'sist of circumferentially extending plates or like for this purpo e with a of the correspondring to form a knife-like lower key-like portion 220 near the needle cylinders.

What we claim then is: I

1. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds. sliders for operating the needlesymeans for'eflecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elements for co-operation with slid.- ers during a needle transfer action, and means for causing the said elements to act upon and eflect outward deflection of appropriate sliders in such away as to liberate the letter from associated needles, for the purpose herein specified.

2. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means for eifecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elementsfor co-operation-with said sliders, said elements being arranged alternately with and for movement between the needles, and means for so operating the elements during a needle transfer action that they will act upon and deflect appropriate sliders, thereby liberatlnfl the latter-from associated needles, for the purpose herein specified.

3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein the deflector elements are provided with ofiset parts adapted to enablean element, upon being appropriatelymoved, to push against the back of the desired slider.

4. In a knitting machine, in combination, two 7 opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means for effecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elements for co-operation with the sliders, the operative end of each of said elements being provided with a lateral projection for direct contact with the back edges of the companion sliders, and means for so operating the elements during a needle transfer action that they effect outward deflection of appropriate sliders, thereby liberating the latter from associated needles, for the purpose herein specified.

5. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means at respectively different locations for effecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elements arranged for action upon the sliders, and, at each needle transfer location, means for moving the said elements suchwise as first to cause outward deflection of appropriate erate them from associated needles during transfer of the latter and then to permit said sliders to assume their normal undeflected positions.

6. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means at respectively different locations for effecting transference of needles from one needle bed to theother, a' series of movable elements furnished with operating butts and arranged for action upon the back edges of the sliders, and, at each needle transfer location, cams for action upon the butts, said cams being sliders to lib sociated needles during transfer of the latter, and I then in the opposite ers to assume their for the purpos specified.

7. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means at respectively different locations for eiIecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of holding down sinkers arranged alternately with and for movement between the needles, each of said sinkers having a lateral projection for action upon the companion sliders, and, at each needle transfer location, cam means for eilecting oscillation of the sinkers so'that during a needle transfer action appropriate sliders are deflected outwardly and thereby liberated from associated needles.

8. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means for effecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other,'a series of movable elements for cooperation with the sliders, the operative end of each of said elements being provided with a lateral projection for direct contact with the back edges of the companion sliders, and means for so operating the elements during a. needle transfer action that they effect outward deflection of appropriate sliders, thereby liberating the latter fro-m associated needles, the Sections being also so formed as to present latch opening edges to needles in both needle beds, in the path of the needle latches at a location where closed latches are to be opened when needles are advanced, so that by reason of such advance appropriate latches are brought into engagement with the opposing edges and consequently opened.

9. A combination according to claim 8, wherein the lateral projections have chamfered opposite edges for plain and rib needles respectively,

10. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, double-ended needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means for efiecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elements for co-operation with the sliders, the operative end of each of said elements being provided with a lateral projection for direct contact with the back edges of the companion direction to permit said slidnormal undeflected positions,

- sliders, and the lateral projections being also so formed as to present latch opening edges to needles in both needle beds, in the path of the operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating respectively different locations for effecting transference oi needles'from aforesaid lateral pro one cylinder to the other, a circular series of curved holding down an operating butt and having a lateral projection on one side of its operative end for action upon companion sliders, and sinker cam rings providing between them a track for the butts, the said rings being so shaped as to provide in the track, at each needle transfer location, an upwardly directed wave so designed that when the butts pass through it, the sinkers are moved seriatim first outwards to cause outward deflection of appropriate sliders to liberate them from the associated needles, and then inwards, for the purpose herein specified.

12. In a knitting machine, in combination, a rotary plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rotary rib needle cylinder, double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating the needles, a stationarybottom cam box associated with the plain needle cylinder, a stationary top cam box similarly associated with the rib needle cylinder, at least one transfer cam in the said bottom cam box for use in advancing sliders when transferring needles from the plain cylinder to the rib cylinder, at least one further transfer cam in the top cam box for use in advancing sliders when transferring needles from the rib cylinder to the plain cylinder, a circular series of curved holding down sinkers each furnished with an operating butt and having a lateral projection on one side of its cperative end for action upon companion sliders, and sinker cam rings providing between them a track for the butts, the said rings being so shaped as to provide in the track, immediately behind each transfer cam (in the direction of rotation of the needle cylinders), an upwardly directed wave so designed that when the butts pass through it, the sinkers are moved seriatim first outwards to cause outward deflec- -tion of sliders advanced by the transfer cams to liberate said sliders from the associated needles,

and then inwards, for the purpose herein specifled.

13. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said beds, sliders for operating the needles, means for effecting transference of needles from one needle bed to the other, a series of movable elements for cooperation with the sliders, the operative end of each of said elements being provided with a lateral projection for direct contact with the back edges sinkers each furnished with of the companion sliders, means for so operating the elements during a needle transfer action that they effect outward deflection of appropriate sliders, thereby liberating the latter from associated needles, the aforesaid lateral projections being also so formed as to present latch opening edges to needles in both needle beds, in the path of the needle latches at a location where closed latches are to be opened when needles are advanced, so that by reason of such advance appropriate latches are with the opposing edges and consequently opened, and means for pressing the needles and holding them back in the needle beds as they approach the latch openers.

14. In a knitting machine, in combination, a plain needle cylinder, a superimposed rib needle cylinder, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating the needles, means at respectively different locations for effecting transference of needles from one cylinder to the other, a circular series of curved holding down sinkers each furnished with an operating butt and having a lateral projection on one side of its operative end for action upon companion sliders, sinker cam rings providing between them a track for the butts, the said rings being so shaped as to provide in the track, at each needle transfer location, an upwardly directed wave so designed that when the butts pass through it, the sinkers are moved seriatim first outwards to cause outward deflection of appropriate sliders to liberate them from the associated needles, and then inwards, the aforesaid lateral projections being also so formed as to present latch opening edges to needles in both needle beds, in the path of the needle latches at a location where .closed latches are to be opened when needles are advanced, so that by reason of such advance appropriate latches are brought into engagement with the opposing edges and consequently opened, and, in association with the top sinker cam ring, at a location where opening of needle latches is to be effected, a movably mounted cam part which is arranged for action on the sinker butts and yet is capable of yielding in an upward direction to permit slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projecq tion is acted upon by a'needle hook, for-the purpose herein specified.

HENRY HAROLD HOLMES. JOHN CYBIL HERBERT HURD.

brought into engagement 

